Events 2012
New Year's Eve in Amsterdam
On New Year's Eve locals and tourists pack into the streets and
squares of central Amsterdam to celebrate before heading to one of
the city's many bars and clubs. Dam Square and the Leidseplein
become the centre of most of the revelry and...
see full detailsQueen's Day
The Queen Mother's birthday is a very festive occasion in the
Netherlands, and Amsterdam goes all out to celebrate staging a
street party which starts the night before and keeps going well
into the early hours of the next day. Traditionally people
attending wear...
see full detailsAmsterdam Roots Festival
Now a major event on the global music calendar, Amsterdam's
Roots Festival started in 1983 as a celebration of African music.
Today the annual programme draws top artists from everywhere around
the world, and hordes of concertgoers who come to enjoy their
talents. The...
see full detailsHolland Festival
The Holland Festival is a yearly trend-setting and innovative
presentation of the dramatic arts, the highlight of the cultural
season in the Netherlands. During the month of June each year about
30 productions take to the boards across the full spectrum of the
arts,...
see full detailsDance Valley Festival
There is no denying the popularity of this hugely important
festival on the dance calendar. The top names in the international
electronic music scene enthral the 60,000 odd fans for whom this
has certainly become one of the annual highlights of the
contemporary dance...
see full detailsAmsterdam Pride
One of Europe's most popular and well-attended 'gay pride'
festivals, Amsterdam's Pride takes place annually in early August.
The highlight is the Canal Parade on the Saturday in which about 75
decorated craft carry revellers along the Prinsengracht, Amstel and
Stopera canals to the...
see full detailsDe Parade
De Parade is a travelling theatre festival that visits
Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht for about 6 weeks in total before
culminating with 17 days of performances as one of the highlights
of the August in Amsterdam festival. Audiences can enjoy a variety
of...
see full detailsCanal Festival
The Grachtenfestival (Canal Festival) is nine days of classical
music appreciation along the canals of the capital city and a few
indoor areas. A number of concerts are performed culminating in the
Prinsengracht concert, which takes place on a floating stage.
...
see full detailsUitmarkt
Every year Uitmarkt heralds the official beginning of the
cultural season in Holland and is a celebration and introduction to
the forthcoming cultural activities in the city. Stages are erected
all over the city and offer a wide variety of free performances,
including theatre,...
see full detailsING Amsterdam Marathon
The popular marathon is one of the top twelve in the world and
part of the IAAF Golden League. Runners from all over the world
enjoy the flat terrain, stunning architecture and little traffic
that characterises the Amsterdam Marathon. The race dates back...
see full detailsAmsterdam Dance Event
Europe's main electronic and dance music conference brings
together more than 1,300 professionals from the international dance
music community for a daytime conference and night time festival in
Amsterdam's city centre. Thousands of visitors dance the nights
away at more than 12 clubs with...
see full detailsArrival of St Nicholas
The true story of Santa Claus began in the 3rd century when St
Nicholas (the Bishop of Myra) dedicated his life to helping the
poor and needy. Through the centuries many stories and legends have
been told about St Nicholas' life and deeds,...
see full detailsCannabis Cup
Amsterdam is equally famous for the relaxed attitude towards
marijuana as it is for tulips, canals and Van Gogh; and the
Cannabis Cup is a celebration of the narcotic that attracts many
high-minded tourists who want to partake openly in its
appreciation. High Times...
see full detailsInternational Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam
One of the top documentary festivals on the international
calendar sees over 180 entries and over 60,000 film fanatics,
industry professionals and passers by in attendance. The films
focus on everything and anything of interest and there are
concurrent mini festivals, or themed showings,...
see full detailsPAN Amsterdam
The leading national art and antiques fair of the Low Countries
has an incredible variety to offer collectors. Whether an antique
in the business or a newcomer just browsing, one may happily peruse
for hours the sheer diversity of ceramics, jewellery, furniture,
silver, glassware,...
see full detailsHolland Flowers Festival
A huge plant and flower show, the Holland Flowers Festival is an
annual riot of colour and fragrance with a vast array of tulips,
irises, daffodils and other blooms covering the halls. An
accompanying fair showcases hundreds of house and garden
products.
...
see full detailsKeukenhof
The world's largest garden (32-hectares) bursts with colour
during this eight week spring season. This showcase of flowers
(particularly the elegant tulips and daffodils) attracts some
800,000 visitors to its flowery ramparts and is divided into theme
gardens, sculpture routes and a children's exhibition...
see full details
